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Welcome to the Bridging Dictionary, a dynamic prototype from MIT’s Center for Constructive Communication that identifies how words common in American political discourse are used differently across the political divide. In addition to contrasting usage by the political left and right, the dictionary identifies some less polarizing–or bridging–alternatives.

© The Bridging Dictionary 2025

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Term

Usage share %

illegals
98%
2%
big lie
6%
94%
censorship
93%
7%
radicals
92%
8%
gerrymandering
9%
91%
amnesty
91%
9%
woke
90%
10%
oppressed
90%
10%
energy
90%
10%
communist
89%
11%
liberalism
89%
11%
free market
89%
11%
global warming
88%
12%
socialist
88%
12%
government spending
88%
12%
leftists
88%
12%
racists
87%
13%
bureaucracy
87%
13%
liars
86%
14%
right wing
15%
85%
left wing
85%
15%
inflation
83%
17%
deportation
82%
18%
evangelical
19%
81%
liberties
81%
19%
white privilege
81%
19%
immigration
19%
81%
enemies
79%
21%
communism
78%
22%
terrorists
78%
22%
nationalism
23%
77%
education
77%
23%
unions
77%
23%
elites
77%
23%
capitalism
76%
24%
whites
76%
24%
empowered
76%
24%
critical race theory
75%
25%
ideology
75%
25%
freedom
75%
25%
deniers
26%
74%
evil
74%
26%
sacrifice
74%
26%
middle class
74%
26%
liberal
73%
27%
law and order
73%
27%
mass shooting
28%
72%
liberty
72%
28%
immigrants
71%
29%
news media
70%
30%
tyranny
70%
30%
crime
69%
31%
supporters
31%
69%
war
31%
69%
insurrection
33%
67%
policing
33%
67%
patriot
67%
33%
deep state
67%
33%
defendant
34%
66%
extremist
34%
66%
military
65%
35%
minimum wage
36%
64%
government shutdown
36%
64%
repression
64%
36%
believers
37%
63%
safeguard
63%
37%
senators
38%
62%
desperation
62%
38%
illiberal
62%
38%
independents
61%
39%
trust
61%
39%
police officer
40%
60%
grassroots
41%
59%
religious
59%
41%
border
42%
58%
authoritarian
42%
58%
undocumented
58%
42%
democracy
43%
57%
credible
43%
57%
dog whistle
57%
43%
bigotry
44%
56%
democratic
45%
55%
mob
45%
55%
secular
45%
55%
sexual assault
45%
55%
stimulus
46%
54%
culture war
46%
54%
immigrant
54%
46%
impeachment
47%
53%
domestic terrorism
53%
47%
republic
53%
47%
misinformation
52%
48%
suppress
49%
51%
rioters
49%
51%
compromise
49%
51%